This past week the General Assembly in the State of Missouri took a week off to give the Senators and Representatives a chance to go back to their districts, visit with their constituents and spend time with their family. I feel that this is a good time to touch base with local leaders and I especially enjoyed the opportunity to visit a majority of the schools in District 4 and visit with 4th graders about state government and the duties of a representative.
These visits are scheduled to give the young people an insight into state government to supplement what they are taught by their teachers. I almost always find, however, that I am the one that profits the most from these visits and I can honestly say, when they ask about my favorite part of my job, it is talking to 4th graders. I visit with their dedicated teachers who seem to really enjoy managing a whole room full of 10 year old children, a skill or talent with which I was not blessed. I see the excitement and the curiosity in the eyes as they ask questions and seem to be thrilled that someone from our state government would come to their school just to see them. My celebrity status wanes quickly as I leave their class and converge quickly back into the real world, but for a few minutes I am reminded how important our children are to the future of our state and our nation and how important it is to fuel the eagerness that they exhibit.
Education is always a major issue at the state level and this year two of the first bills that have been passed out of the House related to education. Too often, however, our concentrated efforts and sometimes our money are monopolized by those few schools in the state that are failing. We do have schools that have a high drop-out rate, low test scores and very low morale among teachers. That is not the case in Northwest Missouri. We have our problems, of course, but our schools rank among the top in the state in many areas and our attendance rate and participation rate in activities still runs high. I was extremely proud to have the opportunity to watch two schools from this district receive Gold Star awards last year in Jefferson City, setting them apart with the most successful schools in the state.
The success that we enjoy is not by accident. Our students do well for two reasons and they both involve people. Our schools are filled with dedicated professionals that care about their students. It is not beautiful elegant buildings that make a difference in a students life, it is the personal touch, the caring, the willingness to spend additional time past the normal day and the many sacrifices made daily by our educators.
The other factor that is so important is family and community support. If parents see education as important, their children will inherit those values. The majority of parents in Northwest Missouri still have those values and work ethic that has made America a country that we are proud to call home. Many parts of our country and even Missouri have seen the erosion of those basic values and the work ethic has turned to one of entitlement mentality. If we are going to move forward, especially in these difficult times, we must examine our priorities, our values, and try to regain the enthusiasm and excitement for life such as that of our 4th graders.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 114B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
No comments:
Post a Comment